Wreaths are part of many ancient traditions dating back to the earliest civilizations. The circle is a symbol of immortality; throughout history, wreaths have been associated with life, rejuvenation, and renewal. Originally, wreaths were worn around the head, neck, or waist. The Greeks awarded laurel wreaths to their triumphant athletes; in the Persian Empire they were worn on the head as a symbol of importance; and ancient Romans wore them like crowns. In Sweden, candles were incorporated in the wreaths to celebrate the return of light after the winter solstice.
Nowadays we use them in a window or on a door as a sign of welcome during the holidays. They can be used flat on a table for decoration or as an advent wreath, which also contains candles, one for each Sunday between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my local library has a wreath-making workshop.
The library supplies the greens and wire and you bring your own wreath form, gloves, clippers, and enthusiasm. All the wreaths that are made that day are beautiful and all are different. Luckily, there are no hard and fast rules for wreath-making. Whatever pleases you is a success! We get all caught up in the hype of Santa and his arrival. The wreath over the hearth brings a warmth to our hearts as we stop to reflect upon the true meaning of this very special day.
Did You Know? While most of us think of wreaths made of pine branches, some areas use a wide variety of materials. For example in New Mexico, Christmas wreaths are often made of dried Chiles.
Join us in the calendar fun each and every day of the year. There is even symbolism to be found in the structure of the traditional wreath itself; the choice of the evergreen branches and the circular shape aren't accidental. The logic here is that the wreath represented the thorns worn by Christ on the cross, and the tiny red berries represent Christ's blood. In this case, the evergreen represents eternal life. When Christians hang a wreath on their door or in their window, it's an invitation for Christ to come into their home.
According to wreath specialist Christmas Forest, however, some people trace the origins of the holiday wreath back to Ancient Rome. For example, some argue that the wreath symbolizes victory , and that Romans hung them on their doors after a win in battle. There are plenty of Christmas decorations and traditions that just make sense for the festive season, but what about stopping to ask just why we do some of the things we do? As with most festive traditions, the meaning behind hanging the Christmas wreath can be traced back to different religions and cultures.
By hanging one of these on their door, Christians were inviting the spirit of Christ into their home. Some believe the origin goes back to Ancient Rome, where the wreaths were hung on doors to represent victory.
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